Help me accept psionics

[pawsplay]

It really doesn't matter where the word comes from, calling someone a psychometabolist is going to throw me right out of the traditional fantasy frame of thought.

Yet "necromancer" and "pyrotechnics" is okay?

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Nourish your hate.

I finally gave in to my hatred, and I've never felt I was missing anything.

 

[WhatGravitas]

It really doesn't matter where the word comes from, calling someone a psychometabolist is going to throw me right out of the traditional fantasy frame of thought.

Yet "necromancer" and "pyrotechnics" is okay?

Not to mention the obvious fantasy-ness of completely English Polymorph compared to strange and weird Metamorphosis (ironically, the Firefox spellchecker - British version, mind you - knows the Metamorphosis, but not the Polymorph!
Or the incredibly fantastic Cone of Cold compared to the utterly alien Breath of the Black Dragon.

Generally, Psionics can be so much fun if renamed - at least for the less open-minded players in my group. Furthermore, if you'd encourage players to make up new names for their powers, it'd be far better immersion than having every mage call a spell Fireball, regardless of the background of the caster.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

I am one of those narrowminded individuals who can't stomach any guns (no matter how primitive) or technology (no matter how well explained--Eberron I'm looking at you) in my fantasy. As such, psionics has always rubbed me wrong, as it seems a bit too sci-fi/superheroish for my tastes.

Nothing wrong with having preferences.

However, I want very much to overcome my prejudice against psionics

Why?

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Eberron is not extradimensional powers, it's dream powers in the waking world. It's one of the few times I've thought psionics really clicked for me.

Of course, psionics can also be the logic of madness intruding into reality, since Xoriat is as viable, if not as common, a source of psionics as Dal Quor.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Personally, the afore mentioned "psionics is similar to sorcerers" is about how I go about it. In actually play, here is how I go about implication:

Wizard/Cleric: Understand through study how to manipulate an outside force (arcane or divine)

Favored Soul/Sorcerer: Knowing through intuition how to manipulate an outside force (arcane or divine)

Psion: Understanding through study how to manipulate an internal force

Wilder: Knowing through intuition how to manipulate an internal force

Of course, Psychic Warriors fit in there somewhere like Rangers/Paladins/Hexblade/Spellthieves/etc.

 

[Aaron L]

Psionic power comes from within, while magic comes from without. Magic is the manipulation of external forces and the alteration of universal laws by use of formulae and props to create supernatural change, while psionics is the projection of internal energies of the mind, body and soul working in unison to create change in the world outside of the user's body.


Just think of Doctor Strange, who uses psionics as much as traditional arcane magic among his powers. Astral projection and telepathy have been described as totally deriving from his own energies instead of outside forces, while his spells call upon otherplanar powers like the Vishanti and the Faltine. (although that is a superhero reference, you can't get much mote wizardly than Doc Strange!)


Think of such things as Yogis and other Eastern mystics for your inspiration for psionics, instead of the European concepts of Hermetic magic. I have always equated psionics with ki, and consider them to be the same power, and count Monks as a psionic class (which was actually just talked about in a recent Mind's Eye article on the WotC D&D website.) Arcane magic in D&D is heavily based on the almost scientific, alchemistic style magic, while psionics are much closer to Eastern meditative systems of supernatural power.

And as to the people who have been asking why he wants to broaden his perspective and actually learn to accept psionics: you are actually asking why someone wants to overcome their prejudices and expand their horizons? That's completely bizarre. If you don't like psionics then fine, stay out of the thread and stick to your your narrow views of fantasy, but don't come in here dumping on those of us with enough of an imagination to include more than what Tolkien wrote about in our D&D games.

 

[Deekin]

As for renaming stuff, it is not like some has done all the work for you

It really doesn't matter where the word comes from, calling someone a psychometabolist is going to throw me right out of the traditional fantasy frame of thought.

That is why they have the slang names for the disciplines. Psychometabolist --> Egotist, Seer <-- (Clairsentience), Shaper <-- (Metacreativity), Kineticist <-- (Psychokinesis), Nomad <-- (Psychoportation), Telepath <-- (Telepathy)

The only ones that don't really change are Kineticist and Telepath, but those words are already in the Core Rules.

 

[KrazyHades]

psi is a traditional sci-fi device

And now for a bad joke

psi-fi

 

[Bad Paper]

Psionics is just magic, with a different accounting system. (I use the transparency rule)

And you can think of psions as the opposite of warlocks. Compared to wizards, warlocks generally don't burn out. Psions burn out relatively faster than wizards.